Files: what happens if your subscription expires?

Since our platform operates on a prepaid model, if your plan expires without a renewal, about 10 minutes after the due date Square Cloud tries to take a snapshot of each application and database and then deletes them; all the account's API keys are deleted too. However, we know that unexpected things happen, which is why we have implemented a security system to protect your work and prevent the immediate loss of your data.

Blob Storage files enter a deletion queue (they are not snapshotted), so renew as soon as possible. Below, we explain what happens to your applications after expiration and how you can recover them.

📦 What happens to your files and data?

As soon as your subscription expires, our system kicks in and automatically attempts to create a security snapshot (a type of full backup) of all your applications and databases.

However, it is essential to pay close attention to the retention periods, which vary depending on the type of service:

• Applications and Files (30-day window): You have up to 30 calendar days after expiration to renew and recover your application files and code.
• Databases (30-day window): the security snapshot taken at expiration is kept for up to 30 calendar days, exactly like applications. (General rule: the most recent snapshot is kept for 30 days and older ones for 7 days.)

Warning: Once the respective grace period passes (30 days for applications and databases), snapshots and files are permanently deleted from our servers, and data recovery will no longer be possible.

🔄 How to recover your applications and databases

If your subscription has expired and you are still within the security window, the process to restore your files and get your projects back online is simple:

1. Renew your subscription: Pay for a new billing cycle (card or Pix).
2. Access your backups: In your dashboard, navigate to the Snapshots tab or access it directly via the link: https://squarecloud.app/en/dashboard/snapshots.
3. Restore the project: Pick the security snapshot and restore it with Upload as a new application (snapshots up to 100 MB) or Create a new database. The files and data come back, but as a new application or database: set up the domain again, update connection strings (a restored database has new credentials) and create new API keys.

🛡️ How to prevent downtime and loss of access

The best way to keep your applications running smoothly is to renew ahead of time.

• Renew before expiration: With a saved card, renewal is automatic; with Pix, pay the renewal Pix sent before the due date.
• Days are cumulative: When you renew early, the newly purchased days are added to the remaining days of your current subscription. You won't lose any days you have already paid for!

This way, you ensure that your services run continuously without depending on the snapshot recovery window or risking the loss of your databases.

For full details on snapshot creation, retention (30 days) and restoration, see Snapshots: creation, retention and restoration.

Updated on: 10/04/2026